Snapring tools

ABSTRACT

An elongated tubular frame bar with a pistol grip handle at its outer extremity and fixed jaw projecting from its inner extremity. A movable jaw pivoted on said fixed jaw and extending forward in alignment with said fixed jaw, said jaws being provided with snapring-engaging pins. A handgrip lever pivotally mounted on said handle and a connecting rod connecting said handgrip lever with said movable jaw to actuate the latter.

United States Patent James T. Clark Fort Morgan, Colo.

July 24, 1969 Aug. 10, 197 1 CllrkJ-eather Manufacturing Co. Fort Morgan, Colo.

(72] Inventor [21 1 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] SNAP-RING TOOLS 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs. 7 v

j [52] US. Cl. 29/229, 29/235, 29/267, 29/280. 81/344, 81/405 [51] Int. Cl. 823p 19/04 [50] Field of Search 29/229, 235, 270-272, 267, 268, 278, 280; 81/3.0, 9.3, 302, 343, 344, 347, 405, 394

[56] Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,483,383 9/1949 Heimann et a1 29/229 2,583,876 1/1952 Penkauskas H 29/235 X 3,169,307 2/1965 Langwell 29/229 3,365,782 1/1968 Madeira 29/229 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,031,834 6/1966 Great Britain Primary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner- Leon Gilden I Attorney-R. H. Galbreath ABSTRACT: An elongated tubular frame bar with a pistol grip handle at its outer extremity and fixed jaw projecting from its inner extremity. A movable jaw pivoted on said fixed jaw and extending forward in alignment with said fixed jaw,

said jaws being provided with snapring-engaging pins. A I

handgrip lever pivotally mounted on said handle and a connecting rod connecting said handgrip lever with said movable jaw to actuate the latter.

ing removable artificial retaining shoulders in mechanical devices. They comprise external split rings, which resiliently snap inwardly into engagement with outwardly facing circumferential ring grooves in shafts, and internal split rings which resiliently snap outwardly into engagement with inwardly facing ring grooves in shaft housings and journals. Such split rings are provided with a tool opening at each side of the split therein to receive tool means for expanding or contracting the rings for assembling and disassembling purpose.

Many tools have been developed for engaging the tool openings in split rings but due to the fact that the tools are usually excessively large and complicated and to the fact that the rings are often located in difficulty accessible locations in a machine assembly such tools have not been universally acceptable.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a split ring tool which can be inserted into, and operated in, relatively deep, transversally narrow spaces in assemblies; which can be employed upon both internal and external snaprings; which will enable the point of engagement of the tool and the snapring to be clearly visible to the operator; and which will be conveniently light in weight, devoid of complications, easy to use and economical to manufacture. V

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the snapring tool of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereofi FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3, FIG. 4, illustrating the appearance of a conventional internal snapring in place; N

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross section taken on the line 4-4, FIG. 3; Y

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5, FIG. 6, illustrating the appearance of a conventional external snapring in place on a typical shaft;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the view of the external snapring and shaft assembly of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a detail side view of a fixed jaw element as used in the tool ofthis invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION The improved snapring tool employs an elongated tubular frame tube 10 provided at its rear extremity with a pistol grip type of vertical handle 11 into the upper extremity of which the frame tube is permanently inset substantially at a right angle therewith. A fixed jaw element 12, as shown in FIG. 7, is force fitted and inset into the hollow forward extremity of the frame tube 10 in the plane of the handle 11. A jaw pivot bolt 13, provided with a suitable clamping nut 14, extends horizontally through a bolt opening 43 in the fixed jaw element 12 adjacent the forward extremity of the frame tube 10. A movable jaw element 15 is rotatably mounted on the pivot bolt 13 in frictional engagement with the fixed jaw element 12.

The fixed jaw element 12 is provided with an elongated, forwardly extending lower jaw 16 and the movable jaw element 15 is similarly provided with a similar elongated, forwardly extending upper jaw 17, The jaws l6 and 17 are bent transversally inward toward each other forwardly of the bolt 13 so that their forward portions vertically overlie each other substantially in the plane of the handle 11. A lower ring-engaging pin 18 extends axially forward from the lower jaw 16 and a similar upper ring-engaging pin 19-similarly extends axially forward from the upper jaw 17 in parallel relation to the lower ring pin Themovable jaw element 15 is additionally provided with an upwardly extending ring-expanding lever 20, having an aligned series of spaced-apart, leverage-adjusting holes 21, and with a downwardly extending ring-contracting lever 22 also similarly provided with an aligned series of leverage-adjusting holes 23.

A handgrip lever 24 is pivotally mounted on the rear of the handle 11. The lever 24 has a U-shaped cross section to provide two spaced-apart pivot flaps 25 which extend upon opposite sides of the handle 11 and are pivotally secured to the latter by means of a suitable pivot rivet 26. A compression spring 27 is positioned at its forward extremity in a counterbore 28 in the handle and is mounted over a spring-retaining screw 29 in the grip lever 24 at its rearward extremity so as to constantly and resiliently urge the grip lever 24 away from the handle.

A perforated attachment ear 30 is formed on and extends upwardly from one of the pivot flaps 25. A connecting rod 31 is connected at its rear extremity to the ear 30 by means of a double hook 32. The forward extremity of the connecting rod 31 is connected by means of a L-shaped hook 33 to any desired one of the adjusting holes 21 or 23 in the levers 20 and 22 of the movable jaw element 15. The L-shaped hook 33 can be'locked in'the selected hole by means of a latch element 34 which is slidably mounted on the forward extremity of the connecting rod 31 so that it may be brought into engagement with the far side of the particular lever into which the L- shaped hook is inserted to prevent withdrawal of the hook 33.

OPERATION In FIGS. 3 and 4, a typical conventional internal snapring, provided with tool openings 35, has been shown at 36 engaged in a receiving groove 37 in an external housing 38, and in FIGS, 5 and 6 a typical external snapring 39, provided with tool openings 40, has been illustrated engaged in a ring groove 41 formed in a shaft 42.

Let us assume that it is desired to employ this invention to remove the external ring 39 from its groove 41. The handgrip lever 24 is compressed to separate the pins 18 and 19 sufficiently so that the latter pins can be simultaneously inserted in the tool openings 40. The handle grip is now further compressed in the palm of the hand to expand the ring 39 sufficiently to allow it to be longitudinally removed from the shaft Now let us assume that it is desired to remove the internal ring 36 from its ring groove 37 in the housing 38. The latch element 34 is slid rearwardly on the connecting rod 31 and the L-shaped hook 33 is withdrawn from the expanding lever 20 and reinserted in one of the holes 23 in the contracting lever 22. The latch element 34 is then returned to its latching position. The handgrip lever is now compressed to space the ring pins 18 and 19 sufficiently so that they may be simultaneously inserted into the tool openings 35. The handgrip is now further compressed to pull the extremities of the ring towards each other to contract the ring diameter so that it may be readily and axially removed from the housing 38.

For relatively small snaprings, either internal or external, requiring a minimum ofexpansion or contraction, the hook 33 is placed in the tool hole 21 or 23 furtherest from the axis of the pivotal bolt 13. For larger rings, the hook 23 is positioned in a tool hole nearer to the axis of the pivot bolt to provide maximum expansion or contraction.

While a specific form of the invention has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A snapring tool comprising:

a. an elongatedframe member;

b. a handle secured to and extending downwardly from one extremity of said frame member in pistol grip relation thereto;

c. a fixed jaw element extending forwardly from and in sub' stantial alignment with said frame member;

. a movable jaw member pivoted on said fixed jaw element;

e. a first jaw extending forwardly from said fixed jaw element;

f. a second jaw extending forwardly from said movable jaw element;

g. a ring pin extending forwardly from each jaw to conventional snaprings;

h. a handgrip lever pivotally mounted at its upper extremity on and at the rear ofsaid handle;

i. a ring-expanding lever mounted on and extending upwardly from said movable jaw member; and

j. a connecting rod extending from an eccentric position on said handgrip lever forwardly to an eccentric position on said ring-expanding lever to transmit reciprocal movements from the grip lever to said expanding lever to swing said ring pins toward and away from each other.

. A snapring tool as described in claim 1 having: a spring urging said grip lever rearwardly from said handle so as to urge said ring pins toward each other. A snapring tool as described in claim 2 in which the first and second jaws extend laterally and oppositely toward each other so as to vertically overlie each other at their forward extremities.

. A snapring tool as described in claim 3 having:

a ring-contracting lever mounted on and extending downwardly from said moveable jaw member, the forward extremity of said connecting rod being interchangeable between said ring-expanding lever and said ring-contracting lever.

. A'snapring tool as described in claim 4 having: 

1. A snapring tool comprising: a. an elongated frame member; b. a handle secured to and extending downwardly from one extremity of said frame member in pistol grip relation thereto; c. a fixed jaw element extending forwardly from and in substantial alignment with said frame member; d. a movable jaw member pivoted on said fixed jaw element; e. a first jaw extending forwardly from said fixed jaw element; f. a second jaw extending forwardly from said movable jaw element; g. a ring pin extending forwardly from each jaw to conventional snaprings; h. a handgrip lever pivotally mounted at its upper extremity on and at the rear of said handle; i. a ring-expanding lever mounted on and extending upwardly from said movable jaw member; and j. a connecting rod extending from an eccentric position on said handgrip lever forwardly to an eccentric position on said ringexpanding lever to transmit reciprocal movements from the grip lever to said expanding lever to swing said ring pins toward and away from each other.
 2. A snapring tool as described in claim 1 having: a. a spring urging said grip lever rearwardly from said handle so as to urge said ring pins toward each other.
 3. A snapring tool as described in claim 2 in which a. the first and second jaws extend laterally and oppositely toward each other so as to vertically overlie each other at their forward extremities.
 4. A snapring tool as described in claim 3 having: a. a ring-contracting lever mounted on and extending downwardly from said moveable jaw member, the forward extremity of said connecting rod being interchangeable between said ring-expanding lever and said ring-contracting lever.
 5. A snapring tool as described in claim 4 having: a. means for varying the eccentric position of the forward extremity of said connecting rod on said ring-expanding and said ring-contracting levers. 